Happiness from your local SPCA

[Engels]

Heh, he looks just as surly as his namesake. I love surly cats.

By the way, I've heard at least one person here refer to their main coon as having 'dog like' behavior. Is this a trait common to the breed, or just happenstance? I ask because one of my cat in the past was very dog like himself. Not scared of anything (mostly because he was deaf as a post), friendly and loyal.

[WayAbvPar]

It seems like a breed trait. Toby used to play fetch with us constantly, especially with bottle caps. He is a bit lazier now, but still gets fired up around bedtime. I will have to get a picture of him playing in his tent...it is for normal-sized cats and he barely fits in it.

[cmlancas]

I have a DSH that loves to play fetch with a crochet mouse. I'm not talking a half hour of fetch, I'm talking four hours at a time. He used to wake up in the middle of the night and get his mouse and put it on my face, telling me he wanted to play.

[Engels]

I have a DSH that loves to play fetch with a crochet mouse. I'm not talking a half hour of fetch, I'm talking four hours at a time. He used to wake up in the middle of the night and get his mouse and put it on my face, telling me he wanted to play.

My sister's cat does that. Except with real mice, spasming in their deaththrows.

[cmlancas]

The cat brings her the once-live mouse dead and expects her to throw it? Creepy.

[Engels]

and fish, and birds, and voles and pigeons. Not sure about the throwing part, but definately the delivery into bed at 4 am.

[cmlancas]

Yikes. It would freak me out to wake up next to a dead animal my cat dragged in.

[Sky]

I had a good hunter kitty when I lived in the country. She would take down not only mice and birds, but chipmunks and red squirrels. I never saw evidence of a grey squirrel, I was always hoping she would go for the big prize, but they can be pretty tough. Our grey squirrels were ridiculously big because we had about two dozen massive old-growth oak trees.

[Signe]

When I was little we only had outdoor cats.  There was a bit of property and we were surrounded by wooded area.  We had two patrol cats who kept the vermin away from the house.  Only one of the cats ever came inside... she just loved my mother.  Every now and then she'd come in to leave a perfectly skinned mouse on my mother's pillow.  It was very gross but, after all, it was all in the name of love.

[Lantyssa]

My old cat brought us live animals.  Usually lizards, but my mom didn't appreciate the baby mouse running around her kitchen.  It was a scene out of a 50's sitcom.

[Rasix]

My cats have learned that live lizards get taken away from them and put back outside.  I mostly find feet nowadays.

Ohh, and geckos hiss (other lizards scream).  Never knew that, I thought they had brought in a snake.

[WayAbvPar]

Ohh, and geckos hiss (other lizards scream)

They should have made Silence of the Lizards instead.

[Righ]

In space, no one can hear lizards scream.

[Abagadro]

Found out this week that my pooch has rather advanced liver cancer. We are in that excruciating "is it time" stage with her right now. She is definitely not herself but doesn't appear in huge distress and is still eating, so it is tough to say that it is time to go. We don't want her to suffer though.

I'm trying to be a tough guy but end up sobbing like a 3 year old on a regular basis. She is twelve, which isn't too bad for a larger breed dog, but that doesn't make it any easier. So hug your pets, they won't be around forever.

[hal]

As a former breeder of bloodhounds. 12 years on a large breed , you have been blessed. Ten would be more normal. But they have a personalty don't they? I buried Belvedere some ten years ago (my male bloodhound [stud]) and I miss his presences every day.

[Signe]

I'm so sorry, Abagadro.  She is lovely. 

[Engels]

Having nursed 3 cats through terminal kidney failure & other slow but sure life-ending cat ailments, I feel your pain, Abo. Advice is ackward, but I personally feel that one should keep them around till its clear that they are pretty much no longer comfortable. With my first cat, the one I'd had since I was 8, who lived to be 19, I think I took too long to put her down, in retrospect. I just had a very hard time even contemplating her being out of my life, so I let her cross from uncomfortable to miserable, and that was a mistake I didn't take with the next 2 cats I hadda put down eventually.

[HaemishM]

Poor poochie. My condolences, Ab. I know when one of my puppies has to go, it's going to be like ripping off limbs.

[voodoolily]

So sorry to hear the bad news, Abagadro. Just keep scratchin' her ears and give her all the pate she wants so her days will be nice, I guess (had a cat who was dealt a similar hand and all I could do was spoil him rotten 'til it was time).

[WayAbvPar]

Sorry Ab. Give her an extra hug for me before you have to say goodbye. 

[Abagadro]

Thanks for all the kind words all.

[Falwell]

I didn't get my cat through the rescue, but one of the breeders in town had one last oriental short hair that she couldn't sell. So I adopted him at a discount price.

This is Mangy Cat

[Roac]

I'm trying to be a tough guy but end up sobbing like a 3 year old on a regular basis. She is twelve, which isn't too bad for a larger breed dog, but that doesn't make it any easier. So hug your pets, they won't be around forever.

I had to take our golden about two weeks ago, so you have my sincerest sympathies.  It's one of the more unpleasant things I've ever had to do, and wouldn't wish it on anyone.  All I can suggest is when you make whatever decision, force yourself to mentally stick wtih it instead of going back and forth in doubt.  Sobbing like a 3 year old helps too.  Very pretty dog, by the way.

[Bunk]

Ab - I still have photos of my dogs on my cubicle wall here in front of me. Both have been gone for over two years. It's the toughest thing about having a pet - but really, it's worth it.


Falwell - I can't decide which is more disturbing in that picture - the evil looking cat, or that chair.

[Mrbloodworth]

Falwell - I can't decide which is more disturbing in that picture - the evil looking cat, or that chair.

Or the wire fence that surrounds it.

[Nebu]

My sympathies Ab.  As long as she's eating and able to go to the bathroom, she has time.  When the eating stops is when the sadness starts. 

Best regards in this tough time.

[Falwell]

Ab - I still have photos of my dogs on my cubicle wall here in front of me. Both have been gone for over two years. It's the toughest thing about having a pet - but really, it's worth it.


Falwell - I can't decide which is more disturbing in that picture - the evil looking cat, or that chair.

Sir, that chair is the fucking bomb and I will not tolerate any slander towards it. It is referred to as the captains chair and was the guest chair in my den for many many years.

The fence is an electrified anti - hillbilly countermeasure. Honestly, the carpenters put that up when they were working on the floorboards and shelves in the den. They didn't want the pets to get at the fresh varnish etc.

[RhyssaFireheart]

Sorry to hear about your dog, Abagadro.  Our first Golden had liver cancer as well, but we didn't find out until the end when he stopped eating and just got very lethargic.  He was almost 10 and had been a very happy and energetic dog up until the last two weeks.  As long as she is still eating and doesn't seem to be in any pain, then I'd say you're fine for now.  As Nebu and a few others have said, when she stops wanting to eat, then it's time.  Staying in the room with your pet will be incredibly hard, but crying always helps.  It's been just over two years since we lost Orion and it still hurts sometimes.

------

On a related to the OP note - I'm heading to my mom's this weekend for a visit and to meet some guy who's giving away his female lab-mix because apparently the new wife doesn't like the dog?  I can't understand that part (how do you miss the dog during the whole dating/engagement thing?).  So I'm going to take my Golden with me so the dogs can meet and see if they get along.  While the husband and I prefer Goldens (this is our second), I have no problems with retrievers in general, plus this one is already fixed, she's 2 years old and weighs about the same as Cayman (~85 lbs.); I'm not going to have to worry about keeping a puppy safe from an older energetic dog either.  So Monday I may or may not be driving home with two dogs.  This should be interesting.